Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1887-06-23
a'irgiuia frse gress.
w. w. Il. GALLAHEIt, Editor.
Charlestoi0n, Jefferson County, Vest Va.
June "a, 1857.
June "a, 1857.
"StOnelcalpp aud His Steed.


showed his dullness for it by asking a
young lady if she had ever heard of song
called Dixie" and when she had finished
singing it he seemed much pleased, but
did not recognize the air played every
day by the bands in the army. But
there was one kind of music which he al
ways recognized-it was the yell with
which his troops always greeted him when
he appeared before them. He always
acknowledge the compliment by taking
off his gray cap, and Little Sorrel, catch
ing the inspiration of the moment, would
break into gallop and continue it until
the sound had ceased.
During the Maryland campaign the
General rode handsome gray, presented
to him by an admiring Marylander, and
came near losing his life by the horse fall
ling on him. He had also very hand
some sorrel presented to him by the peo-
pie of Augusta, Ga.
The tough little horse, Sorrel, would
endure any amount of hard riding with
out signs of tagging; if, however, his ri
der dismounted, he would refresh himself
by promptly lying down without waiting
to have the.trappings removed. Although
the saddle suffered from the contact with
the earth, his owner would not allow him
to be disturbed. The horse was very
fond of apples, and the General always
remembered him when that delicacy
could be had Little Sorrel soon became
thoroughly trained steed. If his rider
was deep in the mysteries of some plans
he would suit his gait to the humor he
often heard the soft accents of muttered
prayer, and bore himself with show Of
solemnity until some dashing courier on
spirited horse or the "song of a shell"
aroused him to bear himself like the war
horse that he was. The horse loved the
roar of battle and the rush of charge,
and chafed under a close rein and dog
ged retreat.
Up to the last he retained his fondness
for the sound of gun and when the
boys would fire rapidly in the neighbor-
hood, killing robins, the horse would trot
off in the direction and look over the
fence with great interest turning with
the change of direction he would trot off
in search of the sound. 1t is rather re-
markable that the horse was never wound
ed, although he bore Jackson through his
campaigns of Romney, Mcdowell, Port
Republic, Winchester, Cross Keys, Cold
Harbor, second Manassas, Fredericks
burg and the fatal field of Chancellors
vile. Here Jackson by a prompt move
ment, had cut Hooker's line in two, cap
turing many prisoners and guns, and he
rode out with three or four members OF
his staff to reconnoitre; when they re
turned it was dark. The troops that saw
him pass had been relieved by others
who were instructed to fire upon the ap
proach of anything indicating the enemy
These we're startled by the approach o
horses hoofs in rapid canter and deliv
cred one or two volleys. The result o.
this assault was the unhorsing Of Jack
son with wound in the right hand, an
: other in the upper part of the right arm
and a third in the left arm. Thesc
5 wounds were not necessarily fatal, bu
soon after he took to his bed, pneumonia
> developed, with fatal result. Littl
: Sorrel was stampeded when the confusion
that followed the terrible accident was a
its height, and it was feared that the littl
horse had escaped into the enemies lines
I The next day some of Stuart's mel
found him and returned him to headquar
ters.
After the death of Jackson the favor
: ite of the camp was sent to Mrs. jackson
: at her home near Charlotte, n. c. a fey
e years ago, in response to an urgent re
t quest, she sent him to the Virginia Mil
tary Institute, where her husband wa
professor at the beginning of the wal
The horse was sent to the New Qrlear
Exposition to be exhibited for the ben,
: fit of the Confederate Home and for tn
Jackson Monument Fund. His life wa